Diary of a Rocket Grunt
by Kaiserin
Summary: Rocket Grunt 27 tells all of Team Rocket's motives, plans, and what really went on behind the scenes from Mt. Moon to Saffron City, all the way out to the Johto region.
1. Prologue

**Diary of a Rocket Grunt**

By Cari Wood

Prologue

My reasons for joining Team Rocket was simple- I was sick of being teased, sick of being looked down upon, sick of being made fun of because my parents wouldn't let me have a Pokemon. I had nothing to lose.

I got involved with the group during its early stages. From what I've heard from the executives, it started out as a simple street gang in Viridian City, where its goal was simply to attain the most powerful Pokemon in the area. It grew from there, spreading to the surrounding cities and eventually other regions entirely, especially after Viridian's gym leader took the head of the operation.

I left home to join Team Rocket at the age of fifteen, leaving a note to my parents that I was to become a Pokemon trainer. I was technically eligible for the role when I was ten, but as I mentioned, my parents wouldn't have of it.

I grew up in Pewter City, just north of Viridian, through the woods. I could have easily caught myself a bug-type Pokemon in the forest, but I'm not particularly fond of them. Brock, our city's gym leader, was in charge of distributing entry-level Pokemon to starting trainers at the time. I'm unsure of this holds true to this day, but it matters little. When I left home early that morning, I went to the Gym to receive the Pokemon of my choice. Brock is a master of the rock-type, so I was offered the choice of either Geodude or Onix to begin with, but because of my age difference compared to most rookie trainers, he also offered me a recently-evolved Graveler.

I took the Graveler.

I headed down south through Viridian Forest, and caught myself a Pikachu. It's uncommon in the area, even more so now, so I figured I may be able to trade it or sell it when I reached Viridian. I'm not big into the cutesy Pokemon; I like mine to be able to trample over any competition.

After getting word from a little birdie that it was to be Rocket headquarters from then on, I went to the Viridian City gym. Giovanni had only taken over Team Rocket mere days before my arrival, apparently. When I got there, I was registered as a Rocket Grunt and issued the now-standard uniform: white gloves, boots, and belt, and black pants, cap, and the shirt with the infamous red "R" on it. Nobody will forget that image.

The receptionist also asked for my Pokemon. I set the Pokeballs containing the Graveler and Pikachu before her, and she said I could only keep one of them. The other would be transferred to the boss for experimentations. I gave her the Pikachu, and in exchange for my first "good deed" as a Rocket member, I received a Rattata.

Now, I'm not big on Rattata… very little stamina, very little attack power, vulnerable to several different types. I told this to the receptionist, and asked for something with a bit more kick in it. She said she understood how I felt, but couldn't afford to give me anything better. There was a surplus of Rattata at the base because it was common to the area. The executive I was assigned to came out from the conference room and greeted me at that point, telling me he'd help me train after I changed into my uniform. That Rattata was a Raticate in no time.

My boss told me I was to report everything Rocket-related to him, and he'd tell Giovanni of anything important. For then, though, I was to simply recruit other members. I stayed in the general Viridian area, never straying too far north for fear of my parents. After a few weeks, the squad I was in was assigned to take over the Mt. Moon area. We had attained enough members to start our mission.

My name was left behind at that point. From then on, I was Rocket Grunt #27. Don't listen to what you heard on the local daily news. I'm here to tell you what really went down behind the scenes.


	2. Entry 1

Diary of a Rocket Grunt

By Cari Sanosuke

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the licensed characters used in this work of fiction. I do claim my own original characters. Pokemon is property of Nintendo, not me. Also, if I find anyone ripping me off on my plot or ideas, I will raise hell. So don't do it.

Entry #1

I began my journey with Team Rocket at the age of 15. My parents put out "missing" posters, but because I had registered with the Pokemon League as an official trainer all they had to do was go to the Center and ask of my position. All trainers are tracked as they go from Pokemon Center to Pokemon Center. And besides, the poster was a picture of me before I joined the Rockets. I had cut my hair several inches, to the point where it hung just past my chin. The hat that was issued with the uniforms effectively hid my eyes, and I was no longer wearing glasses. I went out and bought some contacts instead, and they were colored as well, making my eyes green instead of brown.

So, with my identity hidden and changed, I was free to roam the streets of my own town without given a second look. Not that I needed it, but it still came in handy on several minor occasions.

Team Rocket had done several smaller crimes – robberies, forgeries, anything to get powerful Pokemon. Eventually the Boss gave the executive in charge of the troop I was a part of the order to move towards Mount Moon. Apparently there were fossils of rare and extinct species buried there. We were to establish control of the cave system, take out any threat of outside trainer attacks, and find the fossils. The scientists on Cinnabar Island had discovered a way to revive these species of Pokemon through extracting their DNA from the fossils. Of course, we must always give the best to The Boss, so we took our orders and set off.

The first step was easy: eliminate the threat of a trainer attack. We planted one member in disguise at the entrance to Mt. Moon route. Then, all we had to do was bribe the other trainers in the area to fight whoever managed to pass with a little money, and they agreed. We were soon inside and passed by several wandering trainers without much interference.

We got to the second level of the cave and started searching for fossils. We knew there were two the Boss was after, the Helix and Dome fossils. Our group was split into two – half of us were to catch the Pokemon in the area (Geodude and Zubat, mostly) and the other half were to find the fossils. I was assigned to the catching half, and I regret not putting up a protest to join the other group. I did my job fine, catching several low-level Zubat, Geodude, and even some Onix and Paras to be assigned to new recruits.

The other half didn't fare so well. They were all defeated by a mysterious trainer clad in red. They all fell, defeated. By the time we met up again, the fossils had been claimed and the Super Nerd that found them was nowhere to be found. We had failed.

We reported back to the Boss in Viridian City that night, our heads hung in shame. There was nothing in that cave that he had wanted more than those fossils. He asked if we had anything to compensate. Nobody said anything. I knew it was up to me then, I had something they didn't… my Graveler.

I offered it to him. It caught his eye – it was a higher level than the other Grunts' Pokemon and if I traded it to him it would immediately evolve into a Golem. He offered me an Ekans in return, and I accepted, knowing I had no other choice. I traded my Graveler, got the Ekans, and left with my comrades for our next destination: Lavender Town.


End file.
